1. Field
An embodiment of the inventive concept described herein relates to a semiconductor memory, and more particularly, relates to a memory system including a semiconductor memory and a method of operating the memory system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor memory device is a memory device which is fabricated using semiconductors such as silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), and the like. Semiconductor memory devices are classified into volatile memory devices and nonvolatile memory devices.
The volatile memory devices may lose stored contents after a power-off. The volatile memory devices include a static random-access memory (RAM) (SRAM), a dynamic RAM (DRAM), a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), etc. The nonvolatile memory devices may retain stored contents even after a power-off. The nonvolatile memory devices include a read only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), a flash memory device, a phase-change RAM (PRAM), a magnetic RAM (MRAM), a resistive RAM (RRAM), a ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), etc.
Semiconductor memory is used with a memory controller that is configured to control the semiconductor memory. The memory controller is configured to control read, write, erase, and background operations of the semiconductor memory. The memory controller includes various operating methods of controlling the semiconductor memory to improve an operating performance of the semiconductor memory.